7 Easy Ways To Give Your House More Warmth

These 7 decorating tips will spruce up your house and make it feel warm and cozy for guests.

There’s no place like home. To make yours feel like a cozy sanctuary you and your guests will never want to leave, it’s important to pay attention to the small details.

From the way a room smells to how comfortable your beds are, a few simple tweaks can ensure your home is warm and inviting and, most of all, reflects the personality of you and your family. Here are some unique ideas for creating a welcoming abode.

1. Make the entryway welcoming

Your entrance and front door set the tone for your house. Give your front door new life by painting it a warm color – either a chic-yet-muted shade of powder blue or a bold red or coral. Whatever the color, dirt, spider webs and mud can make the loveliest entrance look dingy, so combat them with Mr. Clean’s Concentrated Multi-purpose Cleaner. Plant some delicious-smelling lavender or climbing jasmine on either side of your door to create a welcoming scent that will greet both you and your guests.

2. Make more of your photos

In our digital age, it’s easy to take lots of pictures that never see the light of day again. Set aside some time to go through your photo archives and print your favorites. You can now turn your Instagram photos into canvas art or fridge magnets via various websites, and easily order prints from your digital camera online. When it comes to displaying them, Pinterest has a wealth of ideas for how to artfully hang gallery walls. We love the idea of grouping your pictures by theme – for instance, a wall full of photos from beach vacations, featuring everyone from grandparents down to your own children playing in the sand, mixed with seaside postcards. Or, gather candid black-and-white photos taken during various birthday parties over the years.

3. Give your books a new lease on life

Bookcases are beautiful, but those books could be doing so much more around your home. Topping a pile of yellow-spined books, for example, with a vase of flowers and placing the whole arrangement on the dining room table is a simple way to turn your hardbacks into ornaments. Or place a wooden crate the same width and height as your bed at the foot and fill it with books. Add a throw or cushion to the top, and you have an interesting bench that doubles as a cozy reading space.

4. Personalize your furniture

Try to make sure each room in your house has a piece of furniture or artwork that is special to you. It will help add more of your personality to your home and draw loved ones in. Whether you custom-paint furniture, mix old inherited pieces with modern purchases or change the handles on your cabinets, letting your character shine through will create a unique and personal feel.

5. Cozy it up

Harness the power of lighting to create a warmer and cozier ambiance. First, add dimmer switches to your overhead lighting, as this will allow you to set the tone depending on the day, time and season. Also, think carefully about your light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs emit a warmer light than LED bulbs, while “daylight” bulbs give off a harsher blue light.

And don’t ignore the most evocative of all of our senses in your home: smell. Beautiful scents have an instantly calming effect on guests and make your home seem incredibly inviting. Distribute your favorite Febreze Candles around the house.

6. Think soft furnishings

Freshly ironed sheets and layers of sumptuous blankets, cushions and throws make a home instantly feel cozy and welcoming. Set up beds that are perfect for dreaming and sofas that you want to lounge on by mixing different textures, from faux fur and sheepskin throws to knitted or linen cushion covers.

7. Pay attention to the bathroom

The state of your bathroom can make the difference between your guests wanting to return and booking the nearest hotel next time. Dirty grout in the tiles, a grubby shower curtain, water marks on the taps and less-than-fluffy towels can all make a home feel unloved. Put out fresh towels in warm colors, make sure there is ample hand soap and give the whole room a scrub from top to bottom.